Swansea City: Why Swans Are Once Again Flying Under the Radar in Transfer Window

Last season, Swansea City came out of nowhere to finish in ninth place in the English Premier League and win the Capital One Cup.

Most of their success last season can be attributed to the shrewd Summer business that was done by manager Michael Laudrup.

Laudrup tapped into a talent pool in Spain that he knew all too well and his eye for talent and a bargain deal helped usher in a new era of success in Wales.

The arrivals of Chico Flores, Pablo Hernandez and Michu last Summer were three of the most underrated moves of the 2012 Summer transfer window, and without those key signings, the Swans would not have achieved as much as they did.

Flores became the defensive rock that Swansea were in search for, while Hernandez led the club in assists with 10 and Michu took the EPL by storm to score 18 goals.

This Summer, Laudrup is at it again, as he has been one of the most active managers in the EPL since the opening of the transfer window on July 1.

Including the recent arrival of forward Wilfried Bony from Eredivisie club Vitesse Arnhem, who according to a report by The Guardian, officially became a Swansea player on Thursday, July 11. Laudrup has already brought in six players, four of whom have links to the Spanish game.

The other player that does not have a link to La Liga who is now officially a member of the Swans as of July 3 when his deal was reported by BBC Sport, is JonjoShelvey, who joined the club from Liverpool.

One of the Spanish foursome acquired by the club this Summer is a familiar face who was with the club last season.

Before the transfer window officially opened, BBC Sport reported that Jonathan De Guzman would be joining the Welsh club on loan from Villarreal for the second consecutive season.

As for the other three players joining the club from Spain, B/R's La Liga expert Tre Atkinson has a brief scouting report on all three of the players.

Alejandro Pozuelo (Real Betis), Jose Canas (Real Betis) and JordiAmat (Espanyol) all have added to the Spanish contingent at the Liberty Stadium, which now stands at seven players.

Pozuelo, who was the last of three players to join the club this Summer on July 2, according to the club's website, is described by Atkinson as a typical out-and-out midfielder who will thrive in Laudrup's system as he continues to develop.

The former Real Betis player is described by Atkinson as a true winger who has plenty of potential and raw speed. Canas is also described as a player who is just scratching the surface when it comes to his scoring abilities.

That brings us to Amat, who could potentially be one of the better center-backs to come out of the next generation of Spanish players.

Amat joined Swansea on June 27 from Espanyol, according The Sun. The 21-year-old did not spend any time with his parent club last season as he was on loan at RayoVallecano, a club that Michu knows all too well from his time spent there in the past.

Atkinson describes Amat as a player who is not afraid to make a challenge in any situation and someone who can improve on his aerial skills as he progresses as a player.

So what exactly does all this business done by Swansea early in the transfer window mean for their upcoming season?

First of all, it gives all six players a chance to adapt to the managerial style of Laudrup. With that playing to their advantage, all six of the new arrivals will have a chance to break into the starting 11 for the first match of the season at home against Manchester United.

Another guarantee about the new signings at Swansea is that they will not be talked about until they begin to thrive on the pitch.

If the sextet of talented players have half the level of success that Laudrup's first round of signings had, there is no doubt that we will be awarding praises to Laudrup's ability to find talent and have them thrive in his system.